Waste Management Phoenix Open Will Go On In 2021

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Scottsdale's famed annual golf tournament will take place in 2021 with some changes due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2021 Waste Management Phoenix Open is set to go on with limited crowds from Feb. 1-7, the Thunderbirds, the tournament's organizers, announced in a news release Monday.

"After many discussions with the PGA Tour and local health officials, we are moving forward with a plan to have limited spectators at the Waste Management Phoenix Open," 2021 Tournament Chairman Scott Jenkins said in a statement. "Ultimately, if the decision is made by local health officials to allow spectators, it will be a small fraction of the normal capacity at TPC Scottsdale and not any different from what many other professional sports are currently allowing across the country. The health and safety of fans is our top priority."

Construction has been underway since November on a modified, open-air version of the 16th hole, which is known for its rowdy crowds. Limited ticket packages for the 16th hole are currently on sale to the public online. A decision on the availability of limited general admission tickets will come soon, the news release said.

TPC Scottsdale's 192 acres is conducive to social distancing and coronavirus precautions will be enforced throughout the tournament, according to Jenkins.

Also called “The People’s Open,” the Phoenix Open has been named Tournament of the Year by the PGA Tour four times in the last six years. 2021 will be the 86th anniversary of the tournament.

The Thunderbirds, which was founded in 1937 to promote the Valley through sports, raised a record $14 million for charity at the 2020 tournament.